News Briefs (May 27, 2015)Chili fundraiser The Pottsville Masonic Lodge 333 will have an all-you-can-eat chili fundraiser at 6 p.m. on Saturday at their lodge. Money raised will go toward a scholarship awarded to a Pottsville High School student each year. Donations are accepted. For more information call 479-747-6018. Tate Cemetery decoration The Tate Cemetery will have a decoration on May 31 at 11 a.m. and at 1 p.m. Rev. Jonathan Thacker will be the speaker at the 11...

Building momentum Drive in nearly every direction from the heart of downtown Russellville on Main Street or Arkansas Avenue, and you will find some sort of construction going on. Head East, and you’ll drive past the Chili’s To-Go restaurant that will open sometime in June. Right next door, plans are in the works for a Zaxby’s restaurant. Construction on Steak and Shake on Parkway Drive is moving along. Go West, and the finishing touches are being done to Med Ex...

ATU Board of Trustees OKs budgetTrustees approved a $158.9 million operating budget at Arkansas Tech University for the 2015-16 fiscal year during a meeting at the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center on Thursday. Included in the budget is a 2.87 percent tuition increase for the main campus in Russellville. Undergraduate tuition will increase from $209 per student semester credit hour (SSCH) in 2014-15 to $215 per SSCH in 2015-16. The 2015-16 budget also includes a...

How did we get here?When Russellville Finance Director Jerry McKaughan came to town six years ago, the city had a $3 million surplus. During Wednesday’s Russellville City Council meeting, McKaughan said the reserve has been at $1 million some time, and he had to get $66,000 from it recently. When Recreation and Parks Director Mack Hollis told the council, “Give me some money” to water the Soccer Complex, the finance director said the city didn’t have it. Mayor Ra...

Sunset Cinema to begin June 5The Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce (RACC) will kick off the 10th season of Sunset Cinema at Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitors’ Center on Friday, June 5, with the Disney film “Big Hero 6.” The season continues June 26 with Disney’s “Maleficent,” and concludes July 24 with Disney’s “Planes: Fire and Rescue.” Sponsored activities, including games and snacks, begin each night at 6 p.m., and the movie begins shortly after sundown. In case ...

Board moves forward with middle schoolBY STEVE LEAVELL sleavell@cswnet.com DOVER — The Dover School board began the process of accepting bids and beginning construction on the new middle school complex as well as a few related projects. Superintendent Jerry Owens suggested that the district purchase the house and property at 251 South Elizabeth St., adjoining the proposed construction site, in order to provide better and safer access to the construction and eventual building. He s...

News Briefs (May 26, 2015)June activities for Lake Dardanelle “Critter Crunch” will be held at 1:45 p.m. on Saturdays in June at Lake Dardanelle State Park. Lake Dardanelle’s diverse habitats provide homes for many creatures large and small. Join a park interpreter in the kid’s corner of the visitor center as she tells you about some of the smaller creatures. She will also be feeding these creatures; so come discover the small native wonders we have around us. Children...

Storm damageA large tree lays across the road in the Lands End area in Russellville after a round of severe thunderstorms moved through the area on Monday. The National Weather Service reported at least two tornadoes touched down during the thunderstorm — one in Ola and another in Pottsville.

Synchronized swimmers splash councilAlderman Bill Eaton said the Russellville City Council has been known for “kicking stuff down the road” during Wednesday’s regular meeting at City Hall. When the council did approve an ordinance that rezoned property on North El Paso Avenue from commercial (C-2 and M-2) to residential (R-3), one woman in the audience applauded loudly and yelled, “Yay! You did something!” She was one of nearly a dozen people who took the council’s first opportu...

RSD honors teachers of the yearThe Russellville School District recognized the teachers of the year, along with this year’s retirees, during its annual employee recognition ceremony on Wednesday. Eleven educators at one of each schools within the district were awarded teacher of the year. Assistant Superintendent of Personnel and Instruction Alene Bynum announced the honorees, and Superintendent Randall Williams awarded each with a plaque of recognition. “The classroom teac...

City Corp. OKs mall upgradeThe Board of Directors for City Corporation approved projects estimated to cost a combined $6.45 million during its annual meeting Monday at the Huckleberry Creek Reservoir. Two of the projects, City Mall wastewater improvements and the replacement of manhole covers, are also steps toward compliance with the water and sewer utility’s Consent Administrative Order (CAO), General Manager Steve Mallett said. They will be fundbyed the bond issue ap...

Board approves stipendThe Lamar School Board rejected the approval of a bereavement policy and approved funds for a bus driver stipend and a reading program book purchase during Monday's regular meeting. Superintendent Roy Hester said the proposed bereavement policy would have allowed for an additional bereavement day for all staff if an immediate family member died. He said the proposal was voted down 3-2 because “immediate family member” was not adequately define...

News Briefs (May 21, 2015)Election panel demo today The Pope County Election Commission will conduct another election equipment vendor demonstration at 10 a.m. today at Election Headquarters in Russellville. The Election Commission will have a meeting following the demonstration. Veterans Memorial dedication A memorial dedication will take place on May 25 at Reed Cemetery on West 12th Street. The cemetery was established in January 1884. The dedication will begin at 11...

Danville students explore Makerspace technologyA handful of Danville students were recently invited to explore Makerspace technologies in the district Learning Center and give feedback before the materials were moved into school libraries. Students from the elementary, middle, and high school were represented at the Makerspace Tinker Day. Makerspaces are spaces in rooms set aside for exploration and tinkering. Students played with four Makerspace technologies: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Makey ...

River Valley Rewind: May 20, 2015Editor’s note: The Courier will turn back the clock each week to take a glance at various people and events featured in the publication decades ago. This photo as been left unaltered andi s presented with its original caption from its original publication in a 1963 edition of the Daily Courier-Democrat. Majorettes at Arkansas Tech... Three sophomores and also freshmen have been named majorettes for the Arkansas Tech marching band. From left th...

13-year-old’s Make-A-Wish granted“Today is the best day ever!” Esther Johnson repeats this simple motto every day. And though the words may seem empty and falsely optimistic to some, they carry weight for Esther. It’s became her creed, the guiding principle for her 13 years on this earth. Esther has congenital myopathy, a type of muscular dystrophy. Although her lifespan is unknown to doctors and family, her mother said she’s never unhappy. Sometimes Esther’s attitude is give...

$163,865 camera system approved at RHSThe Russellville Board of Education approved a contract to install a $163,865 security camera system at Russellville High School and the Arkansas Tech Career Center during its regular meeting Tuesday. The contract, awarded to JE-Systems Inc., of Maumelle, will include the installation of 148 interior and exterior cameras at RHS and 28 cameras at the career center. The project is long overdue, and discussion at past meetings has been centered o...

News Briefs (May 20, 2015)Meadows reunion coming Sunday The Meadows family reunion will be at the home of John Henry and Linda Jones on Crow Mountain and will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Family and friends are invited. Fish, chicken and trimmings will be catered. For directions, call 968-5901. Retired teachers to meet Thursday Pope County retired teachers will meet at 9:30-10 a.m. on Thursday at Brookdale (Wildflower) at 240 South Inglewood Ave in Russellville. Refresh...

Memorial Day concert to honor WWII vetsAll veterans and the public are invited to honor World War II veterans at the Memorial Day Veteran Appreciation Concert at the Russellville High School Fine Arts Center at 2 p.m. Monday. Admission is free. John Montgomery with American Legion Post 20 in Russellville said a full house at the concert will be the best way to thank WWII veterans for their service. “I want to challenge the River Valley community to fill that place up,” he said. “Th...

News Briefs (May 19, 2015)Randall and Donald Gray book signing Brothers Randall and Donald Gray will have book signings at 2-4 p.m. on Thursday at Hastings for their books. Lamar High School reunion The 2015 Lamar High School reunion will be held at 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, in the Lamar High School cafeteria. The graduating class of 1965 will be honored, and the 1960’s will be celebrated. Lamar High School graduates are inre invited to bring their family and frie...